Beloved educator Phyllis Green passes away

Published: Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 05:45 PM.

A beloved assistant principal at Liza Jackson Preparatory School has passed away unexpectedly.

Phyllis Green, 61, died early Thursday after she suffered an apparent aneurysm, said Terri Roberts, the chief executive officer at Liza Jackson.

“We’re all just devastated right at the moment,” she said. “Phyllis was one special person.”

Green was brought on as one of the founding educators at the K-8 charter school in Fort Walton Beach after she called Roberts to inquire about a position there. She told Roberts that she was excited about the possibilities a charter school could offer and wanted to be a part of it.

Green ended up being one of the first three people Roberts hired.

“She was so creative and had a lot of vision,” Roberts said. “She helped shape the school.”

The longtime educator was the assistant principal for grades six, seven and eight, and never hesitated to act when she saw something that could be improved.

Green was well-liked by students. They frequently sought her out when they had an issue to work through, Gunter said.

“She knew how to fix things and she knew how to build things,” Gunter said. “… She could do just about anything.”

Green was equally respected by the teachers she oversaw.

“As a boss, she allowed great people to do great things around her,” said teacher Tucker Handley. “As a mentor she believed in me when I doubted myself.”

Handley, who has taught at Liza Jackson since it opened, said Green was his first boss in education.

“She didn’t try to micromanage anybody. She let people do their thing,” he said. “I loved her. I love her.”

Green spent time at two Niceville schools before she came to Liza Jackson.

She started in 1980 at Plew Elementary, where she eventually would teach second, third, fourth and sixth grades before moving to Ruckel Middle School in 1988 to teach eighth grade science, according to her biography on the Liza Jackson website.

She worked at Ruckel until 2001, when she joined Liza Jackson.

The married mother of four also had a great love for the outdoors and her Australian shepherds, Gunter said.

She was an avid hiker who never missed an opportunity to share her love of the environment with students, she added.

Green’s profile on the school’s website also says she enjoyed “gardening, reading and playing with the pets.”

A phone call had gone out to all parents of Liz Jackson students as of Thursday, but specific plans were still in the works, Gunter said.

A plan will be in place before students return from winter break Jan. 7, Roberts said.

“She’s been such a big part of everything, it’s going to be really, really hard for a lot of us going back,” Roberts said. “So, so hard.”

Details about a memorial service and funeral arrangements were unclear Thursday, she said.

A beloved assistant principal at Liza Jackson Preparatory School has passed away unexpectedly.

Phyllis Green, 61, died early Thursday after she suffered an apparent aneurysm, said Terri Roberts, the chief executive officer at Liza Jackson.

“We’re all just devastated right at the moment,” she said. “Phyllis was one special person.”

Green was brought on as one of the founding educators at the K-8 charter school in Fort Walton Beach after she called Roberts to inquire about a position there. She told Roberts that she was excited about the possibilities a charter school could offer and wanted to be a part of it.

Green ended up being one of the first three people Roberts hired.

“She was so creative and had a lot of vision,” Roberts said. “She helped shape the school.”

The longtime educator was the assistant principal for grades six, seven and eight, and never hesitated to act when she saw something that could be improved.

Green was well-liked by students. They frequently sought her out when they had an issue to work through, Gunter said.

“She knew how to fix things and she knew how to build things,” Gunter said. “… She could do just about anything.”

Green was equally respected by the teachers she oversaw.

“As a boss, she allowed great people to do great things around her,” said teacher Tucker Handley. “As a mentor she believed in me when I doubted myself.”

Handley, who has taught at Liza Jackson since it opened, said Green was his first boss in education.

“She didn’t try to micromanage anybody. She let people do their thing,” he said. “I loved her. I love her.”

Green spent time at two Niceville schools before she came to Liza Jackson.

She started in 1980 at Plew Elementary, where she eventually would teach second, third, fourth and sixth grades before moving to Ruckel Middle School in 1988 to teach eighth grade science, according to her biography on the Liza Jackson website.

She worked at Ruckel until 2001, when she joined Liza Jackson.

The married mother of four also had a great love for the outdoors and her Australian shepherds, Gunter said.

She was an avid hiker who never missed an opportunity to share her love of the environment with students, she added.

Green’s profile on the school’s website also says she enjoyed “gardening, reading and playing with the pets.”

A phone call had gone out to all parents of Liz Jackson students as of Thursday, but specific plans were still in the works, Gunter said.

A plan will be in place before students return from winter break Jan. 7, Roberts said.

“She’s been such a big part of everything, it’s going to be really, really hard for a lot of us going back,” Roberts said. “So, so hard.”

Details about a memorial service and funeral arrangements were unclear Thursday, she said.